Worried about your child's safety around water? Looking for more than traditional swim lessons? The Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) program for ages 6 months to 6 years is coming to the Jewish Community Center (JCC) Pool in Vestal this spring, offering a unique approach that equips children with self-rescue swimming skills.
ISR Spring Session in Vestal
Stehli Krause, a certified ISR instructor from Upstate New York, brings her expertise to the Southern Tier with the program's first session starting April 8th. While sessions typically last 6 weeks, the JCC closure for Passover extends this one to 7 weeks. The cost is $150 per student per week, plus a non-refundable registration fee of $105 per child paid directly to ISR. This registration fee covers a comprehensive screening by ISR's team of registered nurses and a physician, ensuring your child's physical and developmental readiness for the program.
The program requires daily attendance, with each child receiving individualized 10-minute lessons spaced 10 minutes apart from Monday to Friday. This ensures focused attention and personalized instruction for each student. Only 4 spots remain (as of March 4, 2024) with lesson times ranging from 7:00am to 9:50am.
About the Instructor
Stehli Krause witnessed the ISR program's effectiveness while living in Miami where the founder of ISR taught her then-two-year-old-twins. Upon moving to Clinton, NY and recognizing the lack of ISR instruction in Central New York, she's dedicated to bridging this gap and bringing these life-saving skills to communities throughout this region. Last year, she successfully taught 90 children in Rochester and is thrilled to expand to the Southern Tier this year, partnering with the JCC to offer these invaluable lessons.
With four years of experience working with over 300 children, Stehli has brought ISR lessons to communities including New Hartford, Syracuse, Old Forge, Rochester, and now Vestal.
ISR vs. Conventional Swim Lessons
The Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) program focuses on equipping children with the skills to become self-sufficient aquatic problem solvers, enabling them to self-rescue if they encounter water unexpectedly. They achieve this by prioritizing independent floating skills over treading water. While treading keeps children in a vertical position, which can be exhausting and ineffective, especially for young children, learning to float allows them to rest and breathe, giving them time to find assistance or wait for help to arrive.
Unlike traditional group lessons, ISR prioritizes one-on-one instruction. This allows the instructor to give each child full attention and cater to their individual needs. By eliminating waiting times, students actively engage in the entire 10-minute lesson, making steady, consistent progress towards mastering essential swimming skills. This personalized approach fosters confidence and competence in the water at a faster pace.
ISR prioritizes student safety through its comprehensive protocols. Parents submit detailed medical questionnaires, reviewed by a medical team, to identify any necessary adjustments. Lessons are always student-driven, adjusting for any child feeling unwell.
ISR focuses on developing independent skills. Instead of blowing bubbles or using flotation devices, students learn breath control and rolling onto their backs to float. Instructors also strongly advise against puddle jumpers or any device keeping children upright in the water, a position referred to as the "drowning position."
Finally, once students master their skills, ISR incorporates lessons with clothes, simulating a real-world scenario where children might fall in water unexpectedly, often while wearing clothing. This prepares them to navigate such situations and reinforces the importance of self-rescue skills.
What to Expect on Day 1 of an ISR Session
The first day of a child's ISR session prioritizes establishing safety, comfort, and a foundation for future lessons. Here's an overview:
- Safety briefing: Parents participate in a review of essential safety protocols, including pre-lesson fasting guidelines and diaper requirements (reusable diapers are mandatory for effective containment).
- Health check: A brief health check is conducted, inquiring about the child's fever, sleep quality, recent meals, and any urinary/digestive issues to ensure their well-being.
- Introduction and trust building: Information about the child's prior swim experience is gathered. The instructor gently introduces themself and the pool environment, allowing the child to explore the pool and get comfortable with the surroundings.
- Skill development: Depending on the child's age and development, the instructor may begin introducing basic skills like floating through gentle positioning or work on breath control (for older children) to pave the way for proper swimming later.
Each session is tailored to the individual needs and comfort level of the child, ensuring a positive and safe learning experience from the very beginning.
Learn More about the ISR Program in the Southern Tier
Enroll your child today to start them on a journey of lifelong aquatic safety and independence. For more for information you can visit infantswim.com, follow Central New York ISR on Facebook, or contact Stehli Krause at 954-593-1482 or s.krause@infantswim.com.
